In a previous post, I discussed watching older anime series rather than focusing on currently running series. When I first started with this blog, I tended to blog about finished shows. Somewhere along the way, I started blogging about series that were currently running. I cannot remember why there was this switch. But I’ve decided to go back to my blogging roots and the first show I’ve started on is Wolf’s Rain. It originally ran from January 6, 2003 – July 29, 2003. I was watching anime during this time but I hadn’t gone hardcore. My anime watching consisted of what was on Adult Swim at the time.

Wolf’s Rain was produced by Bones Studio, created by Keiko Nobumoto and directed by Tensai Okamura. I tend to not read the descriptions or summaries of a completed anime before I watch it to avoid spoilers. So I was not expecting the dystopic setting that reminded me of the cities of Trigun. I have not completed the series, I am halfway through at episode 15. If I am satisfied with the final episode, I plan to watch the 3 OVAs associated with the series.

As humans, what is our purpose for living? Is it because we are searching for paradise? Whether this paradise be on Earth for some or in Heaven for others; are we searching for it? Isn’t the pursuit of happiness, a world just for us where we have peace and joy, isn’t that akin to paradise? Is there someone or something that will lead you to this paradise? In Wolf’s Rain, an embodiment of this “something” that leads to paradise is Cheza, a lunar flower. She is to lead the pack of wolves to a paradise that is specifically for them. To the non-discerning eye, these wolves appear human. They put on this glamour to blend in and to protect themselves from being killed by frightened humans.

A paradise specifically for the wolves. They live their lives in search for this paradise. They don’t know why they want this paradise, they just feel they should find it. It seems at times, that we as humans, are in constant search for a paradise but we don’t know why. Is it too difficult to enjoy our lives on Earth and find a paradise here rather than waiting until we die? We’re given an allotment of time, why not make the most of it? However, many humans are like the wolves in Wolf’s Rain. They are not happy with their current state in life and feel as if they are just passing time until paradise is found. Though, I am only halfway through the series, what the wolves seemed to be missing was not paradise but kinship. They were all on their individual paths and converged to become a pack in their search for paradise. Different personalities bonding and finding ways to work together. A minority among the humans they attempted to coexist with but could not find that bond that they found with each other.

Paradise doesn’t have to be in the ephemeral sense. As an anime community, we have found a sort of paradise for those like us. We are a minority among humans in terms of the entertainment media we enjoy. Some of us have suffered ridicule because of it and the internet has become our “Cheza” in our search for paradise. There are those who wish to destroy Paradise and others who seek to have it for their own. We’ve got net neutrality and the “nobles” wanting to charge for every second we use the internet in addition to our monthly fees for the service. There are characters in Wolf’s Rain who have a hatred for Paradise such as Lord Darcia and those who want it for themselves, Jaguara. The battles have started in the war for Paradise and I look forward to seeing who wins.

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Barakamon aired during the Summer Anime Season 2014. For a split second, I wondered why I hadn’t watched it. Then I remembered that I had just introduced into the world a baby anime fan. I’ve started watching it during the Winter Anime Season and it leaves me wanting for childhood and summer. The ending theme “Innocence” by NoisyCell solidifies this nostalgia. The song combined with the show evokes a combination of feelings: sadness, joy, regret, and love which embodies nostalgia.

It’s not a new storyline: guy is redeemed by the village people and their charm. The main character, Saishu Handa, is not a character we haven’t seen before. But I haven’t seen one who was a pro calligraphy artist. That was new for me. The show was also able to clearly invoke the feeling of summer and warmth within me during a cold season. The art is whimsical and I could feel the sun upon my skin and the water splashing on my face. I felt the joy of being let out of school for summer vacation all over again. I used to look forward to summer every year as a child. I still look forward to it but not with the same anticipation and excitement. This show rekindled that feeling in me if only for a little while. I’m also a sucker for little children playing happily and enjoying life. I don’t see children being children much these days and Barakamon captured their innocence and love of life seamlessly.

There are times that I feel sadness that I will never be able to relive my childhood. Regret that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have. Joy because there were a lot of fun times very similar to some of the scenes in Barakamon: catching bugs, jumping in a pool (when I couldn’t swim), getting lost in the woods, crushing on an adult male, and doing very unsafe activities. Barakamon wasn’t exactly a coming of age story but it was a very similar story; finding yourself when you’re already an adult. This particularly hit close to home as I am on a personal journey in finding myself again. I don’t have the option of spending time away in a beautiful village by the water like Saishu. But I will find my own way. If you’re on a personal journey, I wish you the best.

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I realized something in 2014. I have been posting on this blog for 3+ years. I hadn’t realized that time had passed so quickly. Albeit, in the last year and a half, my posts have been spotty at best. I noticed that I veered away from what I used to blog about. Granted, this blog doesn’t have a specific direction outside of focusing on anime and sometimes K-drama. However, when I started, I wasn’t just blogging on current series. I would watch an older series and blog about my thoughts on it. I would also blog about a topic related to the anime community. I want to revisit that era in my blogging life. That was when I really enjoyed ani-blogging.

My posts of 2014 did not fully exemplify the content that I truly wanted to share on this blog. I wanted to delete them but chose to keep them as this blog is in a way a live diary of my life. By reading my posts, I can tell where I was in my life. So to delete them would be to ignore certain aspects of my life. 2015 starts a new year and I’m hoping it can reinvigorate me in terms of my anime watching and ani-blogging.

Stick around, guys! Some of you have been here for the long haul and I really appreciate you for hanging on. Happy New Year!

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Those who have read this blog for a while know that my significant other is not into anime like I am. There is now a show about couples like us! Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken (I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying) is about a woman married to an otaku. I don’t classify myself as an otaku but I definitely see myself as a serious anime fan. When I get excited about certain shows; my husband will just get a blank look on his face. This show is a short so they don’t drag the gags out too long. You get the joke and then the episode is over. I laughed the whole time for each episode. It has hit the closest to home out of any anime show I have ever watched. If only I could make money by simply watching anime and talking about it.

I’m all over Fall Anime 2014. Okay, maybe not all over it but I’m watching a lot of it. A lot more anime than I have watched in a while. This is what I’m watching so far (including the aforementioned show):

Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu – If you’re not watching this, you should.

Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji – God, this show is pissing me off but I keep watching it. I’m really hoping that Erika grows a pair of ovaries and drops Kyouya. That would restore my faith in shoujo.

Psycho-Pass 2 – Okay, so I haven’t gotten past episode 3. Something about this adaptation is not jiving well with me.

Shingeki no Bahamut Genesis – The surprise of the season. I wasn’t watching this at first because I thought the main character looked like an idiot. One day I decided to check it out and I was impressed.

SHIROBAKO – This show is so meta, it makes me feel like an anime insider.

Terra Formars – Yes, I’m still watching the idiocy of the roaches.

Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete – I have no idea what the hell is going on in this show. So much mystery…ooooo eeee oooooooo.

World Trigger – An enemy who may not be the enemy?

I’m trying to get back into blogging more consistently. It is proving more difficult than I anticipated but I will do my best to get my blog on a routine. Thank you to the readers that have stuck around.

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Terraformars is driving me mad! I want to watch this show but it is so disjointed and the animation style is so ragged (possibly due to censorship by Crunchyroll). It just seems all over the place right now. There is a story in here; I can feel it but I haven’t seen it yet. Lots of gratuitous violence and marvelous fight scenes but I’m having to piece together a story here based off random narration and the thoughts of the characters. Did I mention the cockroaches kinda look like Black guys? REALLY BIG Black guys with little, curly afros? Its even more obvious in the manga than it is in the anime.

I really want to enjoy this anime but what the hell? It’s pissing me off. I finished the most recent episode and sighed in frustration. I am having much more fun watching Shingeki no Bahamut (Rage of Bahamut): Genesis. At least that show makes a little more sense than the cockroaches.